SILLY SCHOOL

Beth, the towheaded tot from Fitzpatrick’s Silly Mommy, Silly Daddy (2006), returns, this time applying her eponymous phrase to school. When the first day of school arrives, Beth emphatically declares that she does not want to attend. It falls to Beth’s extended loving family to convince her otherwise. What contributes to the success of this tale is that although Fitzpatrick addresses a familiar scenario, she handles it with a wry tenderness that never loses its gentle undercurrent of compassionate understanding of the protagonist. The brevity of text as each family member describes a fun aspect of school is ideal for the youngest reader. The interplay between the artwork and text enriches and expands the tale, with pastel hues dominating the full-color gouache paintings, while uncluttered backgrounds keep the reader’s focus on the reassuring message. Just the antidote for the first-day-of-school jitters. (Picture book. 2-5)